“Indigenous Sovereignty” is what is
referred to as a term of art. It is distinguishable from Tribal Sovereignty in that it is not a nation-state recognition of inherent sovereignty under nation- state dominion. Rather, it arises from Indigenous Traditional Knowledge, belonging to each Indigenous nation, tribe, first nation, community, etc. It consists of spiritual ways, culture, language, social and
legal systems, political structures, and inherent relationships with lands, waters and all upon them. Indigenous sovereignty exists regardless of what the nation-state does or does not do. It continues as long as the People that are a part of it continue.”

In order to comprehensively mitigate and adapt to climate change, our food systems must change. While some agricultural systems can greatly contribute to climate change, systems focused on growing food in harmony with nature, like agroecology, can help mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon in the soil and adapting practices that have lower greenhouse gas emissions. For example, UC Davis’ Agroecological Research found that “organically managed fields sequester more carbon in the soil than fields managed using conventional methods.”

Oxfam, a global anti-poverty nonprofit organization, released a report in September of 2020 which found that between the years of 1990 and 2015, the wealthiest 1% of the world’s population emitted more than twice as much carbon dioxide as the roughly three billion people who make up the poorest part of the world. This is due to their excessive overconsumption and increasing tendency to drive high-emitting cars, such as SUVs, and take more flights, a high carbon transport.